Page 128 of Fighting Mr. Knight

“Jack,” Max braves again. “I understand that this is a slight setback. I’m working on expediting a resubmission with the local authority. It was an oversight by the architects but—”

“Stop blaming your team, Max,” I cut him off again. “You’re the lead on this project. I hold you accountable.” I run my tongue over my teeth; I don’t have the patience for this shit and I’ve no patience for the weasel who shit all over my girl’s heart.

His throat bobs. “Yes, Jack.”

“Make the three-month wait time disappear, Max, or I’ll be looking at a different team.”

His face pales. He has little chance of making that happen. I’ll end up sorting it out but I need to see them panic.

“That’s everything,” I say, dismissing them. “Bonnie, can you stay behind, please?”

She looks startled but nods her head.

Steve, the other architect, shoots her a sympathetic look.

Max frowns. “Jack, I can handle—”

“Close the door on your way out, Max.”

Max is mortified. In my defence, the guy has upset my girl. I should tear him apart.

“Of course.” He regains his composure and ushers Steve and Sean out of the room to try to claw back some control.

Bonnie and I don’t speak until the others have left.

“I’m really sorry, Jack,” she says in a soft voice. “I should have read the application properly. I missed that.”

She’s so pained looking; I stride towards her and bundle her up in a hug.

“You know this is just business, right?” I murmur against her forehead. “I won’t take the contract off Bradshaw. I’m just giving Max a kick up the ass. As I said, the buck stops with him. He wants the glory, he can take the guts with it.”

“It’s fine, Jack. I understand.” She smiles up at me, but tears threaten in her eyes.

I sigh heavily as I lift her chin. “Something’s bothering you, Bonnie. Sooner or later, you’ll have to tell me.”

She looks scared, as if I meant it as a threat. Did Max break her trust so badly she can’t confide in me?

I planned to tell her that I’ve bought back her dad’s old house that was repossessed but I fear I’ll freak her out even more. In a few months’ time, he’ll be able to move in.

I’ll gain my girl’s trust if it’s the last thing I do.

***

Belmarsh is a prison south of the Thames and across the water from my regeneration project.

Once dubbed Britain’s Guantanamo Bay because of the number of terrorists it held, it’s one of three maximum security prisons in the UK.

If you make it to Belmarsh, chances are you’re probably not getting out.

That didn’t make me feel any better. Donnie Wicks has spent the past decade here. From what I heard, he’s had a nice life, ruling from inside prison instead of the streets.

It’s just an office change to him.

London’s East Enders were still as fearful of him from the inside as the outside.

It takes me almost an hour to get through security. Everyone is watching, guards, cleaners, prisoners. I can think of better ways to spend a Friday afternoon.

Everyone knows who I am, and everyone knows who I’m visiting. We are two accidental celebrities meeting for a very fucked-up reason.

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